


Couches, Consent, and Cuddling

by Captain_Aesthetics



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Asexuality, Cuddling, Demisexuality, M/M, implied handjobs, spoilers for episode 160
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 06:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23006827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Aesthetics/pseuds/Captain_Aesthetics
Summary: Just what the world needs, another cottagecore fluff fic before the end of the world.I did not write Jon as sex-repulsed. He's ace but willing to please Martin. Also I tried to make the amount of cuddling downright erotic.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan Sims
Comments: 10
Kudos: 177





	Couches, Consent, and Cuddling

What Jon does and doesn't know is a matter of some confusion. For someone who knows all, he seems to miss a lot; too preoccupied with the workings of the cosmos to notice that there's only one bed in Daisy's safe house. The conversation about sleeping arrangements is delayed when Jon falls asleep on the couch their first three days in the cottage, anyway . So Martin has to force the issue. He can't keep sleeping there, curled fetal to fit; Martin sees how Jon stretches his back in the morning with a crack and a sigh. 

"Jon, you need to sleep in the bed tonight." 

There's a familiar weary sigh, an almost-comforting sign of normalcy. "Fine." 

And that's it. Martin doesn't ask anything else. Between the Beholding powers and the tapes, Martin's certain Jon knows how he feels. Martin is less sure what Jon feels. Sure he descended into the Lonely to get him out. He also went into the Buried to get Daisy out, it doesn't necessarily mean anything. 

It also doesn't have to mean anything that Jon does go to bed that night, long after Martin is already there because if Jon doesn't fit on the couch Martin certainly won't, and he's trying to be less of a pushover these days. He truly doesn't have ulterior motives, he's as shocked as anyone that when Jon curls up to sleep he curls towards Martin. Martin quickly puts his book away and turns out the light, sliding down so they're face to face. Jon's eyes are closed but he's not asleep. Martin holds his breath, afraid to move any more. 

"You're as tight as a bowstring," Jon says blurrily. 

"You're one to talk." 

"Fair." Jon reaches out and pulls himself closer so he is tucked into the warmth of Martin. It's not Jon himself that tells Martin something is about to happen, it's that in the quiet of the cottage he hears the click and whirr or a tape recorder turning on. Though it's a bit of a stretch to say that the recorders aren't part of Jon. Martin puts his arms around him, bringing him even closer, maybe crushing a little.

Anyone who listens to the tape might hear nothing but soft rustling. Perhaps the sound of kisses, though their lips never found each other, only pressing against whatever was closest until one then the other drifted off into sleep and the recorder turns itself off with an impatient click.

Martin wakes in the full light of morning and Jon is still there, lightly snoring on his chest, face slack, body warm and soft from sleep. Compared to the acute pain of Jon's need, Martin's was dull - commonplace and blunted from grinding years of being lonely even before he was Lonely. It is Jon who curls up to Martin's chest, clinging to him with arms and legs, though one hand cups Martin's shoulder that is reassuring in a way that other sweatier, heavy breathed actions would not be.

Slowly, Jon's eyes open. The tape recorder turns on. Jon whispers "can I?" and Martin says yes. It's easier than speaking. It only takes a moment for Jon to see everything on Martin's mind. Without a word he holds out his arm and Martin kisses every scar on his skin. He has a lot of scars and Martin anoints every one. He hears the noises Jon makes, how his gasps of terror and pleasure aren't that different actually. Martin pauses. 

"I don't want to - I know you're -" 

"Do you? There's a lot of things I thought I knew that have been called into question recently."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that if I want you to stop I will tell you and I don't have anything to tell you yet. I can't make promises about the future or minute to minute but right now I want you to have anything you want." 

"And this isn't some kind of penance thing?"

"I assure you it isn't." 

As if to prove it, Jon pulls away so he can push Martin back and do things with just his fingers that make Martin grasp at the sheets until he remembers he's allowed to grasp Jon's hair. After, he looks to Jon and says "do you...?" and Jon says "that won't be necessary" in his clipped voice that is so familiar it's almost like they were regular archival assistants again. Martin knows he's a parody of himself but he genuinely would feel better with a cup of tea so he gets up to make some. He brings back a cup for Jon as well and it's like they're role-playing their former selves. He remembers that Jon isn't human anymore, maybe not even alive and for the first time wonders if he is as well. He means to express this thought and what winds up coming out of his mouth is "can ghosts orgasm?" 

Jon sputters and tea gets all over his hands and the sheets. But he's also giving it some real thought. 

"To get to the crux of what I think you're asking, I don't know, but I think you're still yourself." 

"Are you not yourself?"

"I'm... different. We both know that. God... I am lucky to have died and still have a chance to apologize for what I did wrong. Everything. Martin I-" 

"I loved you. I still love you, I mean, but I loved you before too. Never really stopped." 

"Why?"

"What do you mean? I just do." 

"Yes but... why. Surely there was a reason." 

"Why did you start loving me?" Martin says, self-deprecating, a way to prove his point. Instead Jon starts making a list including, but not limited to: Martin's kindness, his empathy, his sweetness, his ability to make tea, his inability to really press a source for information which actually really is a strength that speaks highly of his character, and his hair. 

"My hair?"

"Yes, your hair. When you were sleeping in the archives I saw it form all kinds of interesting configurations and, though I couldn't articulate it at the time, found it quite charming. I began to think of what it would look like on mornings where you weren't sleeping at your workplace for fear of worm infestation. That was the beginning of the end I'm afraid." 

"End of..."

"My platonic feelings towards you." 

"What are your non-platonic thoughts about me?"

"I'd quite like to read with you. And continue to sleep with you." Martin knows he means actual sleep. "And do whatever it is you like. I don't mind it, not when you're so... vocal. I find that rewarding." 

"I think I understand." Martin has looked at some web forums, he is a research assistant after all. He looked at them an embarrassingly long time ago, when it was still wishful thinking. Martin liked to keep his fantasies plausible. 

"So tell me. Why do you like me?" Jon's grinning though he speaks slowly and after a moment Martin knows why. He feels no need to speak, none at all. Jon is learning to control his powers though he finds it difficult when it's something he desperately wants to know. He wants to know this so badly but will never force Martin to tell him. 

"There was no moment," he says. "There was no lightning strike where I went from not loving you to being so in love with you. Once our fingers brushed when I handed you your tea and it felt like the opposite of electricity in a good way. I like the way you say my name. I like that you're interested in stories. Not like that," he adds when Jon pulls a face. "I remember when you went on an interview and we all thought it was going to be a disaster but you came back and knew everything. You didn't even have powers then but you wanted to know. I wanted to be known like that."

"Well. I can do that."

"Can you do that and not tell... it?"

"I don't know. I think I am... I think I am it." 

"No you aren't. Because you know how to stop." 

"Martin," says Jon, moving towards his lap. 

"Don't say that, I just told you what it does to me," he says, teasing right before their lips touch again. 

They do sleep together. They read together but not statements. They try, but Martin doesn't like the way Jon changes when he reads them. Even though it is proof there is a difference he doesn't like to see the shift and he can tell Jon is self-conscious of it. He takes walks and finds out about Jon's soft spot for animals, the fluffier the better. Jon will not go on walks with Martin, not even to see the cows himself, not yet. Sometimes he still falls asleep on the couch and Martin threatens him that if he does it again Martin will be forced to carry him to bed. 

"I'm sorry, is that supposed to be a deterrent?" Jon says with a grin and Martin picks him up then and there. The tape player stays silent. There's nothing new to hear for now.


End file.
